Kiss and Tell
by january sunshine
Summary: A dare from Axel had Demyx kissing Zexion, but he didn't expect the reaction he received. Zemyx! For Dualism, ShadowAili, and the Writer you fools!
1. Game

So I was being kinda mean to the Zemyx fans. By writing Axel and Larxene fics. I know, a het pairing! The irony! But after I wrote _What She Wants_, I had inspiration and while I was writing that, I started this. It's only going to be three chapters, I've decided. Unless I spark on more inspiration, which _needs_ to go to _Whispered Melody_'s sequel...

Anyway...

First chapter, _Game_, is dedicated to **Dualism** because Dualism is made of awesome and was born on Zexion Giving Himself a Hand Day, and I feel bad for not being able to read chapter 17 of _Surgeon General's Warning_ because my computer sucks Xaldin balls.

But here. Happy belated, Dualism!

**Kiss and Tell**

**.o n e.**

**Game**

This was the worst sort of dare ever. Demyx could've only suspected it, coming from his troublesome redheaded friend, king of the rebels Axel Sasaki, but he didn't think it would've been so horrible. Axel _was_ known for dishing out some horrible dares any time they played Spin-the-Bottle Truth or Dare, but he often went easy on those he liked.

This was bothersome.

Axel was playing on two fears for his dare: Demyx's shy nature when it came to romance, and his wish to move things slowly.

Axel had found out who his crush was--one of his neighbors who he rarely talked to--and then centered the dare around that. Demyx knew that the boy had a fairly strict routine. He walked down the same hallway after visiting his locker, took a fifteen minute trip to the library, and walked home. Demyx wasn't exactly a stalker, but he had been curious, and one day, he decided to observe; he was only wishing he hadn't told Axel about the set routine.

"Do I have to do this?" Demyx whined.

"Ssh!" A small brunet by the name of Sora waved a hand at him, pulling away from the corner. He had been keeping watch for the boy, waiting for Demyx's dare to turn the corner on the direct path between his locker and the library. "He's coming!"

Axel smirked and pushed Demyx forward. "Time to shine, buddy," he said with a grin. "Go get him!"

Demyx really didn't want to do this. He wasn't sure what sort of reaction he'd receive. He wasn't even sure his crush would like him back. They didn't interact! At all! Ever! Except that one conversation outside when Demyx found out he had a puppy, but that wasn't much of a conversation at all. He didn't know how he could go about this without receiving some sort of slap in the face.

But it was time...

Demyx could hear footsteps...

A small junior with slate gray hair parted over one eye began walking down the hallway. He held two books, one of which he was reading, the other tucked under one arm. He seemed, for the most part, oblivious to Demyx's creeping towards him, pausing only when Demyx's shoe scuffed the floor.

"Zexion!"

The boy looked up, staring at the senior in front of him. "You're... Demyx, correct?"

Demyx grinned and nodded. "Yep! And I have something to say to you."

This was beyond torture. Pretending he was excited and happy... far in his mind, he was happy, but under the surface, he was nervous and scared and starting to regret what he was about to do. So cruel...

Axel would pay sometime...

"What is it, Demyx?"

In a swift move, Demyx wrapped an arm around Zexion, his other arm supporting the smaller one's head as he tilted him back, placing their lips together.

The joy!

What a disaster!

Zexion seemed too stunned to react, letting Demyx kiss him for almost a minute before his book collapsed to the ground. The loud thud it made startled Demyx into moving away, helping Zexion to his feet.

"See you around, 'kay?"

And with that, Demyx ran far far away. He couldn't stay around there any longer, in case Zexion decided to kill him with one of the books.

**u.u**

That evening, Zexion passed by his front door after dinner. The sky was darkening, the sun already hidden behind the buildings, leaving a darkening hue of oranges and purples. He could see the small figure walk down the sidewalk, tightly holding onto a leash as he watched the small black dog on the other end bounce around happily. Zexion turned to look at his front door, then glanced back at the animal.

Demyx watched from the couch, hiding behind the curtains of the window as he observed the smaller boy. He was very nervous about a possible reaction, wondering if Zexion would make his cute little puppy use their lawn as a fire hydrant or tree or if he'd throw a rock at the window.

Zexion didn't move much, only stared at the house with mild curiosity. He shifted to look at the name on the mailbox, then stopped to pet his puppy. Soon, he picked the animal up and held the dog close, and began walking...

Towards the house...

Demyx hid more, hoping Zexion couldn't see him through the window. It didn't look like the boy could, for he didn't even glance in that direction. Instead... Zexion rang the doorbell.

A few seconds of trying to pretend that he wasn't there had Demyx sighing and calling himself ridiculous. It had only been one kiss, and Zexion did deserve an answer as to why he was kissed. Axel hadn't declared that he could never explain the dare, anyway, so Demyx figured he was in the clear.

He jumped up and opened the door. "Hey, Zexion," he greeted, a bit nervous. "What brings you here?"

Zexion blinked and stared at him for a few seconds. And Demyx was sure that as each second passed, Zexion's face grew a brighter shade of red.

The boy was blushing, and all Demyx had done was open the door.

The blond scolded himself for making everything so tense in only a few seconds.

"Um, Demyx..."

"You want to know why, don't you?" Demyx asked quickly. "Why I kissed you, right? If it made you uncomfortable, I'm really sorry, but see, one of my friends found out some stuff and we were playing this game upstairs and he knew that I knew when you went to the library so he kinda made me and I'm real sorry if I bugged you or anything--I hope I didn't hurt your book, I know you dropped it--but if it--"

"Demyx."

The senior hushed and blinked. "Y-yes?"

Zexion stared at him for a second, then spoke coolly, "My parents wish to meet you. Can you come over for dinner tomorrow?"

That was startling.

He had only kissed the boy, and his parents wanted to meet him. Like they had been going steady for months and were planning on getting engaged, or something. Demyx didn't understand it.

But he did kiss him... he figured he owed it to the boy. So he nodded and agreed. "What time do you want me over?"

"Promptly six-thirty," Zexion replied. "You can talk to my father until dinner, it'll break tension."

Breaking tension was good. Demyx nodded and smiled, and considered giving Zexion a hug but found it awkward. The little dog in Zexion's arms sniffed at him and barked cutely, then began to lick Zexion's hand to death. By then, Zexion set the dog down, bid him well, and headed out.

Awkward...

**o.o**

So much for breaking tension. Zexion's father had cornered him the moment he sat down on the couch. He began asking questions: what motives did Demyx have, how far did he plan on going, was Zexion okay with this, length of relationship, old sexual partners--sexual partners?!--and girlfriends, if he was okay with Zexion being around, priorities with schoolwork...

Dinner started half an hour late because Zexion's father refused to let any of them eat until he was satisfied with the boy.

Demyx figured he earned brownie points when he mentioned being in choir and captain of the swim team. They were able to start dinner calmly, and Zexion whispered for Demyx to try a bit of everything, as to not offend Zexion's mother, who had been cooking with Zexion all afternoon--truth be told, the woman had minimal cooking skills, but Zexion had talent enough for both of them.

"Wow, this is good," Demyx complimented after he tasted the seasoned rice.

Zexion's mother smiled proudly. "Thank you," she spoke. "It took a while to perfect it."

Zexion almost coughed, but silenced himself as he shoved his fork into his mouth. Zexion's mother shifted in her chair and Zexion moved in his and grunted, leaning forward. Demyx figured he had just been kicked.

Wait. His mother kicked him under the table? Like a sibling?

Zexion's father cleared his throat and they began to calmly eat again. "So, Demyx... what attracted you to Zexion in the first place?"

Both boys almost dropped their forks. Demyx sent an uneasy look to Zexion, who blinked and stared at his father. No help... Demyx would have to just come up with something...

Well, he _did_ like him. Many things had attracted him. Zexion just... drew his attention.

"Well... it's kind of hard to say, sir," Demyx began. "It wasn't anything in specific. He just... pulled me to him."

"_Surely_, Demyx, there's something about him."

"Well..." Did Demyx dare reveal something he had only exposed in the fuzzy blue notebook he called a diary? He didn't lie to himself--he wrote in a diary--but... could he actually expose it? Yes.

If it would get his father off his back, then yes.

"I like his smile... it's rare, but it's very cute."

Zexion's mother made an audible "aww", fangirl-esque in nature. Her husband ignored her noise, and her look of heartfelt warmth, and quirked an eyebrow.

"You've seen him smile? _I_ don't see him smile, and I'm his father."

Zexion was busy trying to avoid all eye contact by staring down his steak.

Demyx just had to look at him. He knew Zexion wasn't much of a people person, but sometimes he smiled. A funny part in his book usually, and they were always small and very secretive, but Demyx could always spot them. He was a bit surprised that his shy nature continued to his house, where people were often most at ease.

"Oh..."

"Well, I'm glad to know it exists! Right, hun?" his father boomed joyously, looking at his wife.

She looked so very touched. "That's so cute! And only his boyfriend would know!"

Demyx and Zexion flushed even shades of red. Demyx could only assume Zexion had said something about them being a couple, although, judging by the look on Zexion's face, he was guessing his mother came to the conclusion on her own. Zexion shoved another forkful of rice into his mouth and kept silent.

The rest of dinner remained awkward, with his mother asking questions on how many times they had kissed--and how many people Demyx had kissed in the past--and warned them not to go far. Zexion's father brought up the topic of castration, and his wife hushed him, but by that point, both boys lost their apetite and pushed their plates back in an identical manner.

"I'm finished," Zexion's timid voice finally spoke. His first words all dinner.

"Me as well," Demyx said with a slight nod.

His mother seemed unfazed. "Shall we move to dessert, then, or are you both too full for cake?"

Demyx shook his head. "I think I can handle some cake, ma'am..." he said with a slight smile. He didn't mind the dessert.

"And you, Zexy-sweetheart?"

Zexion blushed slightly, but made a slight nod, not lifting his eyes. His fingers played with the edge of the tablecloth and he distracted himself by looking at it. His mother took his shy answer as a yes, and with a giggle, she left to retrieve the cake. After returning with plates for the two, she called her husband away for a few minutes.

Zexion took that time to look up at Demyx and softly whisper, "They're watching; do something romantic."

Demyx blinked, and behind a forkful of cake, he asked, "Like what?"

Zexion glanced up, to the side, then at Demyx's cake. Carefully, he leaned forward and ate from Demyx's fork. His mother made a muffled squeak, alerting both boys that she was, indeed, watching. Demyx understood...

Zexion had set them up as a secretive couple. So they didn't have to act too romantic in public, only if someone was spying on them having a 'private moment'.

That was actually somewhat relaxing. Demyx reached a hand over and scooped a bit of frosting from Zexion's cake, eating it gently from his finger. Zexion took a bit of frosting, but instead of eating it, he touched Demyx's nose and smiled.

Small, very faint, but there.

H _was_ actually smiling.

"Aww, he does smile!" his mother whispered.

Both boys paused. Demyx blinked and turned to the doorway, where his mother snapped a picture. She smiled at them.

"Sorry... I couldn't resist. You're his first boyfriend."

"I... I am?"

She nodded. "That was why we were so eager to meet you."

Zexion looked down and slowly began eating his own cake again, and Demyx carefully wiped the frosting from his nose. They silenced completely and finished their cake. Afterward, Zexion alerted his parents of the time, and, allowing his mother to take one picture of them hugging, Demyx was allowed to go home.

The moment the blond made it home, he wanted to shoot himself.

Talk about AWKWARD.

**T.T**

_Dear Diary..._

_Zexion's one scary individual. I think he knows it was a dare, and I think he was planning revenge._

_Why's he being so cute about it, though?_

**.t b c.**

**:Darkness Princess.**


	2. Set Up

Aww, yay, thank you guys! I love reviews, and I love my reviewers. I'd do what I did for _Whispered Melody_ but I spent hours writing to everyone, and, well, it's summer and I'm lazy!

So here. Thanks to these people:

**ShadowAili**, **AnimeAlexis**, **Jequila**, **Erika of the Light**, **ChaosHarbor**, and especially **Dualism**!

Chapter two, _Set-Up_, is dedicated to **ShadowAili** because she's one of my sweethearts and I promised her a birthday fic and have been delayed. I'm just bad with inspiration, my muses aren't cooperating with the music.

So another happy belated, Aili-kins!

**Kiss and Tell**

**.t w o.**

**Set-Up**

School was awkward. Demyx didn't think he'd ever have such a bad time attempting to learn, but somehow he managed to ignore his chemistry teacher completely as he stared at the note on his desk.

Zexion didn't write notes...

Sometimes, the girls would write little notes to him, saying hello or asking if he could help with homework or if he wanted to hang out. He always replied in person, softly, and the person often didn't talk to him again.

But...

_Signed, Zexion._

No... that was completely improbable!

Zexion worked intently at his lab station. Though the smaller one had attempted to pull hair out of his face, a few locks fell in front of his large, orange lab goggles. He held a test tube delicately, leaning in as he eyed the chemical in a beaker and watched closely for the amount he fused. Very precise.

Demyx was a bit surprised.

Someone was that interested in this class?

"Demyx, pay attention to your station!" Professor Vexen shouted at him. "Correct your goggles, set down that childish note, and get to work!"

Demyx dropped the note.

In front of him, glass shattered, and Zexion stood there, looking at a mess in front of him. Zexion had dropped his test tube on the table. As he moved to step away from it, he cut his finger. Mumbling unhappily, the blond professor marched over to the station, pulling Zexion back from the mess. Once he had moved him to a cleaner work station, he pulled his arm across to the sink in the center and started to run cold water onto the boy's hand.

Zexion shivered and winced.

"Don't move your hand until I tell you," Professor Vexen barked.

Everyone kept still, even though the professor was talking to Zexion alone. He began to clean the mess, throwing away the glass, wiping the surface with rubbing alcohol and water, opening windows for air. The students watched him, and he soon yanked Zexion over, examined the wound, then dried the boy's hand off and placed a bandage over the wound.

"You're fine. Work with Demyx, God knows he needs a lab partner."

Zexion shifted shyly towards Demyx's table, and Demyx turned bright red.

Someone giggled.

"Shut up and get back to work!"

Everyone jumped and most students returned to their procedures. Demyx couldn't help but watch Zexion for the rest of class, and Zexion was too shy to continue working. Both of them failed the lab.

**u.u**

"I don't get it!" Demyx whined at lunch. "Usually, Zexion's not so..."

Axel had to laugh at him. The redhead often had a game for them to play at lunch--from cards with Luxord to russian roulette with Larxene to "Let's see who can cut off some of Xaldin's hair"--but on the few days they didn't, they talked.

Today was one of those talking days, and Demyx really needed it.

And Axel often laughed at him.

"Zexion's just a weird person. He always has been. See, he eats lunch alone, and he studies, and hangs out in the library, and has no friends."

"He does have a friend..." Demyx muttered. "His parents think he has a boyfriend, too."

"Let me guess--you're both?" Axel asked.

Demyx stared down. "Y-yeah... for the most part." He looked up and narrowed his eyes. "W-well... I did kiss him, so it's like I owe it to him... at least to be a friend. I'm kinda worried about the dating thing."

"What's there to be worried about?" their violent cheerleader friend, Larxene, spoke. "If you like him, date him. And you did kiss him, so he knows you like him."

"B-but I don't like going so fast..." Demyx whined.

She smacked him in the head. "Stop being such a wuss!"

Axel snickered but nodded and stole Demyx's brownie. "She's right, y'know. If you want him, get him. Before someone else does, or he finds out about the dare--"

"But that's the thing, Axel... I was going to tell him!"

"That goes against our agreement, Demyx," Axel stated calmly. "You can't tell him. Especially not now."

"B-but--"

"Demyx...?"

The three turned around to see Zexion standing a few feet from the table. They stared for a few seconds, wondering if the boy had heard something, but he soon glanced down and shyly asked, "May I sit with you today?"

Demyx nodded dumbly, and soon Zexion was sitting in a chair next to him. Axel and Larxene stared at him oddly, then looked at Demyx.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the table.

Then...

"So I hear you two are an item now."

Leave it to Larxene to know how to make things much worse. Demyx and Zexion turned bright red, and the smaller of the two stared at the table while his blond 'boyfriend' looked up and tried to explain things.

"Well, uh... um... it's a secret?"

Zexion glanced up at him through the corner of his eye and a slight nod provided approval.

Demyx smiled shyly to his friends, then mouthed to Axel, 'I don't know what to do.' They ended up pulling out a deck and playing cards for the rest of lunch.

**o.o**

Demyx didn't understand.

So Zexion and he were... going steady? Even though he and Zexion hadn't done anything the least bit romantic, besides that kiss, and the staged flirting in front of Zexion's parents.

And yet, for the past three days, Zexion joined him for lunch and became highly skilled in the game of poker, then they walked home together. Last night, they studied together for a chemistry quiz.

This morning, Zexion arrived to walk him to school. Demyx was running late and half-asleep, and his mother walked in and woke him completely by asking why she hadn't been informed that he had a boyfriend.

"More importantly, why didn't you tell me you were gay? I need time to prepare your father for such news!"

Zexion stared at her in confusion, and Demyx paled. The junior probably felt offended--Demyx makes the first move, and then doesn't tell his parents about their relationship? Demyx figured he would've felt offended by that...

Grabbing his toast, he shrugged and bounced to the door. "Uh, well, now you know, mom! Gonna run now, can't keep him waiting!" He waved to his mother and grabbed Zexion's arm, tugging him from the kitchen.

"Demyx..."

Demyx ignored him until he slung his backpack over one shoulder, yanked the smaller one out of the house, and shut the door. "Okay... yes, Zexion?"

"You never told your parents," Zexion stated. Obviously.

Sighing, the blond continued to walk with him, unaware that he was still holding his hand. "I know... sorry... my dad's slightly confused when it comes to homosexuality, so my mom has to talk to him about it before hand."

Zexion nodded slightly. "Preparation for the cold hard truth, I understand."

Thankfully, Demyx didn't have to go into more detail. He wasn't sure what else he could say. Sighing, he and Zexion walked to school quietly, both at a loss for words. There wasn't much to say.

They were in a homosexual relationship. Demyx's minor crush had turned into this giant fiasco with one dare. Damn Axel.

Demyx pulled open the front door and held it open for Zexion, letting the younger student walk in first. He stepped in behind him, only to find himself covering his eyes as lights flashed in his eyes.

Girls were taking pictures.

Larxene, in her cheerleading uniform, had directed at least twenty "yaoi fangirls" and anime otaku and three of the newspaper staff to the front doors, where cameras and cell phones were aimed in their direction. Clicks and squeals called to them.

Quickly, two forms inched their way through the crowd. Selphie and Kairi, camerawoman and spokesperson of Twilight Town High's "Information Central" television network, had moved towards them, visual recording device pointed directly at them.

"Demyx, how does it feel to be the first openly gay couple at Twilight Town High?" Kairi inquired, holding the microphone in front of him.

He spluttered for a few seconds, Kairi watching him with a smile. She quickly turned to the camera. "Apparently, Demyx here is at a loss for words. Will his often-silent boyfriend have any words to say?" She spun around. "Zexion?"

Zexion blinked. "We're not the first," he said calmly.

And Demyx had to stare at him. How could he be so _collected_ at a time like this? Demyx felt like a train wreck--he had hopped on a speeding train when he decided to pick dare, and his train jumped the tracks at a kiss. It just crashed.

In front of fangirls and asiaphiles.

Oh... damn.

And Zexion was so... normal around it, too. He turned to Kairi, placed a hand on top of the microphone, and said softly, "We don't wish to talk about it... may we go to class, please?"

She nodded and turned to the cameras. "And that's it, TTH, the couple refuses to comment other than to state that they're not the first!"

Kairi continued to speak into the microphone, and Zexion grabbed Demyx by the wrist, leading him away. The two retreated into the library, towards the back, where Zexion often sat. Demyx crashed into the seat next to him and sighed.

"Zexion... how the hell did you do that?" he whispered.

Zexion blinked and pulled a book from his backpack. "Do what, Demyx?"

Demyx wasn't sure how to say it. He looked down and pondered on his words, and by the time he came up with something to say, he didn't want to. Zexion had begun reading, that timid smile back on his face as his eyes scanned the page. And Demyx couldn't disturb that... So he started working on the math homework he had planned to do during History. They could talk later.

**T.T**

_Dear Diary,_

_We just can't communicate._

_I mean, I want to, but the kid doesn't communicate. He talks, his blatant message gets across, but I think he has inner meanings that he won't tell._

_I think he might've planned that entire fiasco this morning. And my parents want to have dinner with him, too! Someone... _

_shoot_

_me_

_dead._

_Or an explanation. Yeah, that'd be nice._

**.t b c.**

**:Darkness Princess.**


	3. Matched Pairs

So here we go. Third and final chapter. Hope you guys enjoyed!

I thank these people, too:

**AllieReade**, **xeriwinged**, **Metal Chocobo**, **Sarehptar**, **Chaos Harbor**, **Aryna.Takashi**, **flame of destiny**, **thr0u6hTh31c3**, **Frozenwithoutfear**, and my sweet **ShadowAili**.

Chapter three, _Matched Pairs_, is dedicated to **The Writer you fools** because she's great. Plus, her fic _How I Paid For College_ was what first got me into Zemyx, so she gets kupo.

Kupo!

**Kiss and Tell**

**.t h r e e.**

**Matched Pairs**

"Sucks. Completely sucks!" Demyx complained into the phone.

He was stuck, basically. His parents had met Zexion and talked about being careful and warned them about sex--moreso Demyx than Zexion, which the blond couldn't understand--and then continued to tell Demyx how sweet a boy Zexion was. Then his mother wanted to discuss with him about his sexuality, and told him the options of adopting if he were to marry, for she hoped for grandchildren in the future.

Demyx wanted to die.

Axel laughed at him again. "I'm so mean to you..."

"You are! Why'd you make me kiss him?" Demyx whined loudly.

"It made for a good dare," Axel replied. "I didn't think he'd take it to the extreme, though..."

"Neither did I!" Demyx sighed loudly, stretching out on his bed. His mother and father had gone out to talk--still, his father couldn't comprehend the fact that his son didn't like girls--so Demyx was left alone and decided to seek refuge in his room, phone at his ear. He was hoping for comfort.

He was getting laughed at by the boy who put him in this mess.

"That's it, I'm calling off the agreement."

"You can't do--"

"Yes - I - _can_!" Demys huffed loudly. "Axel! This is _not_ a laughing matter! We're playing with another person's feelings, here!" He rolled onto his back, staring at his plain ceiling. He could remember asking his father numerous times to paint it blue--and the numerous times his father said the paint would either flake off or drip off--and he sighed at that too. So... plain and simple.

There _had_ to be some other meaning to why the ceiling was so--wait a minute... no... there had to be a reason why _Zexion_ was doing this, and there had to be a way to put a stop to it.

"I can't just _not_ tell him and keep this up. What if it, like... scars him forever... or something?"

By the end of his sentence, Demyx was lacking in reason. He knew it would probably be better in the long run, but... how exactly could one explain that to the boy who found all of this to be mockery?

"Know what, Axel? I'm just going to hang up the phone now. You're destroying my thought process."

"Oh, you've had a thought process?" Axel insulted playfully. "No, no, kidding. Please don't hang up. My sister's home and she keeps talking about pink flowers, and if I get off the phone, she'll call her little flower buddies--"

"Nobody _cares_, Axel," Demyx interrupted. "I'm going through a mid-life romance crisis--which is your fault, by the way--and you want _me_ to help _you_ not listen to your sister talk about _pleasant_ things?"

Axel was silent for a moment, but soon replied, with a smile in his tone, "Basically, yeah."

"Have fun with the flowers, Axel!"

And he hit the 'END' button and dropped the receiver on his pillow in triumpth. Never in his life did he think he'd enjoy hanging up on a person so much.

But that did nothing for his problem.

He sighed. What next, what ne--oh yeah... Picking up the phone again, he decided to call Larxene and yell at her for setting him up.

**u.u**

Seven days...

In only seven days, Demyx had met Zexion's parents, Zexion met Demyx's parents, he became part of the school's new 'hot couple', and now he had a date. Even through all the incidents where he had to hide in bathrooms and empty classrooms with Zexion, he could never just sit down and talk with him.

Zexion just didn't talk, he decided.

One evening, he tried to prompt conversation, and his accidental muttering received a confused look from the junior. Shaking his head, Demyx let him return to reading. Another time, he had asked questions about hiding spots, and Zexion gave him a mere shrug and returned to reading. He tried bringing it up when they were walking and ended up being overly cautious about Zexion walking into traffic with his nose in a book.

That was when it clicked.

Books, reading, literature. All a giant blah. And that blah had completely taken over Zexion's brain.

Their parents had talked and set them up on a date. They went to the movies together and then went to dinner.

What a perfect time to talk.

When... Zexion wasn't reading the menu, or staring absently around the place. Demyx couldn't let it wait any longer. Though he tried to start before the main course--using the apetizers to build up his courage--he had to wait until dessert before he could bring up anything.

"Zexion..."

The boy looked up from his cake. "Y-yes, Demyx?"

"Um... Zexion... you know we really had no interaction before I kissed you, right?"

Zexion nodded slowly, slight worry forming in his face as he tried foreseeing what was to come.

Demyx looked at him calmly. "Well... you have to realize... we weren't really even friends before this, and then after that dare, everyone started thinking we had been together for a really long time, when you and I both know it's only been a week--"

"Wait, wait, wait..." Zexion set down his fork and stared at him. "You mean to tell me... you kissed me because... because of a dare?"

Glancing down, Demyx stared at the table. "Y-yeah..." he mumbled. "B-but see, it's not because--"

"I understand."

Demyx looked up to find Zexion fixing his jacket and preparing to leave.

"Zexion..."

Zexion pushed his chair back and stood up. "I'm sorry. I... overreacted... I won't bother you again--"

"Zexion, sit down. I'm not done yet."

Though he didn't take his seat again, he stopped walking to listen. Sighing, Demyx rose from his seat and walked over.

"Look... Zexion, I didn't mean it that way. You didn't bother me... I just think we moved way too quickly in a week's time. I mean, I'd love to go out with you and all, but... the parents thing, and the groups at school... don't you think that was a bit... much?"

Zexion blinked. "I didn't arrange the students. I told my mother I was kissed and she wanted to know who."

"Then who...?" Demyx sighed and glanced down. "Axel."

"The redhead?"

Demyx nodded. "Oh, I'm sorry... I thought you had planned it. But look... I do like you, okay?"

"You're just saying that--"

"Just listen to me!" Demyx interrupted. "Look... Axel dared me to kiss you after he found out I liked you, and I have no problem being your boyfriend, but... we were moving way, way, _way_ too fast... know what I'm saying?"

"No."

Sighing, the blond beckoned his date to return to his seat. They'd have to discuss this over dessert, he was certain. Zexion sat slowly and resumed eating his cake--there was something about Zexion which had him falling silent for a few seconds.

Simplicity?

Innocence?

Naivety...

"Okay, looky here, Zexy... it's like cake, okay?"

Zexion looked up for this metaphor.

"So we have the ingredients, yes? The eggs and the butter and the mixing tools and the oven. Those symbolize the tools of the relationship. See, we have what we can use, but the oven was only preheated when I kissed you. Following me?"

Zexion nodded slowly.

"Okay. The cake's not baked. Ingredients aren't even in the bowl yet, so we can't start throwing on frosting and sprinkles and strawberries and calling it a solidified relationship yet." That was as simple as he could put it, but the idea of explaining everything through baking was a bit odd to him. He just had to hope Zexion understood.

That slight frown on Zexion's pale lips worried him. "But..." the smaller one murmured.

"What is it, Zexy?" Demyx asked.

"Does it have to be strawberry?" he inquired. "I... I'm allergic."

Demyx almost smacked his head to the table, but then he reminded himself that Zexion was naive. From what Demyx was guessing, the boy in front of him had never had a relationship, at all, and probably got all of this from a morning talk show or a soap opera drama. He nodded, smiling slightly.

"Does chocolate work better for this metaphor?"

"Yes."

"Okay then, chocolate toppings it will be. _After_ a cake is baked. Understand?"

Zexion nodded, then glanced at his plate. "I understand that. But Demyx... does this mean we're not going out anymore?" He looked up shyly. "Because... because we didn't bake together, figuratively?"

Demyx leaned back in his seat. "Well, kinda... Zexion, we're not going steady yet. We're in those early stages, if you want to continue this. I mean, I did like you for a little while, and I kissed you... and your parents approve, so it's a bonus!"

Zexion smiled slightly. "That's good. So this will be our first... official date as... going steady dates?"

Demyx mentally screwed the terminology. It wasn't going to get them anywhere. He nodded and smiled. "Yes, Zexion, we'll be going steady dates. Next time, I'll kiss you for real, okay?"

Zexion's smile grew, visibly happier than they had begun this date. "I'd like that."

**o.o**

They were hiding in the library again. Though Demyx gave a personal interview with "Information Central" and explained how they were going to take their relationship slow and at a pace comfortable for both of them, the fangirls wouldn't leave them alone.

One of the otaku left a message in his locker, recommending various boys-love series from Japan. "In case you need any pointers," the anonymous note said.

Zexion received pictures and a "How to be a Greatful Uke" booklet--fanmade, of course--and insisted on keeping them, just in case he actually did need them. He had stashed them away in his backpack.

"Zex, wouldn't it be smarter to learn what's fit for you, not what some yaoi-obsessed group of teenage girls think?" Demyx asked him. He didn't really get what 'yaoi' was, but he didn't want to ask them.

Zexion looked up at him from one of his latest books. He read novels--he liked mystery and suspense, and guessing ahead of time made him happy--and often had a new one every week, sometimes two. He'd lower them to listen to Demyx, though.

"Well, I don't want to be completely unprepared," he replied. "And some of the girls do their research, however peculiar. It might have helpful input."

Demyx gave him a skeptical look and shrugged. "Okay... but I'm not reading them, that's for sure." He leaned back in his seat for a few seconds and watched his 'going steady date' return to his book. Only a few seconds passed before he shifted his chair next to Zexion's and began reading over his shoulder.

Zexion let that small, timid smile form on his lips again, but Demyx figured it wasn't about the novel this time. He shifted closer.

"Y'know, Zexy... this might not be so bad, really. Once the fangirls start leaving us alone, maybe we should update our status to actually dating."

Zexion's eyes lit up and he glanced at Demyx happily. "You mean it?" When Demyx nodded, he looked up joyously, as if blessed by the heavens. "Wow... this is better than a new chemistry set!"

Demyx blinked and sighed loudly. "Zexion..." he said slowly.

"Well, it is!" the junior insisted. "I love chemistry, and I'd like to further our relationship."

"What's with the formalities, huh?"

"There's nothing wrong with my formalities!"

A librarian sshed them.

**n.n**

_Dear Diary..._

_So it's not as bad as I first thought._

_Minus Axel setting us up for public humiliation and Larxene helping him find all the girls, I think it's actually going pretty well._

_So Zexion's a total dork, as I figured, and it's just wired into his veins, but he's being pretty cool about it. I got him to stop going to extra physics tutoring sessions so we could hang out after school--it's usually math tutoring for me, cuz I suck._

_We went to the park a few hours ago and he said "Duckies" and actually chased them around like he was four, and it was really cute cuz he got to pet one. And his favorite color's blue like mine, and I get to borrow his books sometimes--my mom likes this one, cuz she says it enhances my vocabulary._

_I'm gonna kiss him tomorrow after school. For real this time. We're going to sneak out the back way and go get some ice cream, and the fangirls are __not__ finding out._

_Love loads, Demyx_

**owari!**

**:Darkness Princess.**


End file.
